Saxony carpets having fibers formed of modified polyamide blends

Abstract

Disclosed is a fiber-forming polymer blend, comprising: a) a polyamide; b) a miscible amorphous polymer; and c) an immiscible amorphous polymer.

We claim: 
     
       1. A saxony carpet having a backing and a tufted pile surface on said backing, said tufted pile surface including carpet fibers formed of a polymer blend comprised of: (a) from about 70 to about 99.85% by weight of a nylon polymer;   (b) from about 0.05 to about 5% by weight of an amorphous polyamide miscible with the nylon polymer (a), and   (c) from about 0.1 to about 35% by weight of an amorphous polymer immiscible with the nylon polymer (a) which is at least one selected from the group consisting of poly(phenylene oxides), polymethyl methacrylates, bisphenol A polycarbonates, polyethersulfones, polyarylethersulfones, polyphenylsulfones and bisphenol A polysulfones.   
     
     
       2. The saxony carpet of claim 1, wherein said nylon (a) is at least one nylon selected from the group consisting of nylon 6 and nylon 6,6. 
     
     
       3. The saxony carpet of claim 1, wherein said amorphous polyamide (b) is a copolymer of hexamethylenediamine, isophthalic acid (I) and terephthalic acid (T). 
     
     
       4. The saxony carpet of claim 3, wherein said isophthalic acid (I) and said terephthalic acid (T) are each present in an amount to provide a ratio (I):(T) of from 0.5:1 to 2:1. 
     
     
       5. The saxony carpet of claim 1, wherein said immiscible amorphous polymer (c) is a poly(phenylene oxide). 
     
     
       6. The saxony carpet of claim 5, wherein said poly(phenylene oxide) is modified by with an α,β-unsaturated compound. 
     
     
       7. The saxony carpet of claim 6, wherein said α,β-unsaturated compound is at least one selected from the group consisting of α,β-unsaturated aliphatic mono-and dicarboxylic acids, α,β-unsaturated aliphatic mono-and dicarboxylic esters, α,β-unsaturated aliphatic mono-and dicarboxylic amides, α,β-unsaturated aliphatic mono-and dicarboxylic imides, and aromatic vinyl monomers. 
     
     
       8. A saxony carpet having a backing and a tufted pile surface on said backing, said tufted pile surface including carpet fibers formed of a polymer blend comprised of: (a) from about 70 to about 99.85% by weight of nylon-6;   (b) from about 1 to about 5% by weight of an amorphous copolymer derived from hexamethylenediamine, isophthalic acid (I), and terephthalic acid (T); and   (c) from about 10 to about 25% by weight of an amorphous poly(phenylene oxide) polymer immiscible with the nylon-6.   
     
     
       9. A saxony carpet as in claim 8, wherein the amorphous copolymer (b) has a ratio of (I) to (T) of from about 0.5:1 to about 2:1. 
     
     
       10. The saxony carpet as in claim 8, wherein said amorphous copolymer (b) is present in an amount of about 2 wt. % or less. 
     
     
       11. A saxony carpet as in claim 8, wherein said poly(phenylene oxide) is modified by melt mixing with an α,β-unsaturated compound. 
     
     
       12. The saxony carpet as in claim 1 or 8, wherein said carpet fibers comprise bulk continuous fibers. 
     
     
       13. The saxony carpet as in claim 1 or 8, wherein said carpet fibers have a denier in the range of 15 to 25.